UTS Law Students' Society: Mooting Tutorial

UTS Law Students' Society presents the Mooting tutorial video.

A moot is a legal debate in a courtroom setting usually, but not exclusively involving a case taken on appeal. In a moot two teams of counsel attempt to persuade a judge of the strength of their case by reference to legal authority. In a student moot the teams consist of two pairs of students representing appellant and respondent debating in a moot problem.

A moot problem is a predrafted factual situation in which a point or points of law are in dispute. The task of each team is to support the side of the argument with which it has been presented. This is done with reference to legal authority such as case law, statutes, institutional writings and legal principles.

The role of the judge of the moot is to weigh up the arguments presented to him or her and to question counsel where this is necessary to allow the judge to understand or accept the points being made.

This video demonstrates some techniques students can utilise in the competition. Interviews from past inter-varsity mooters and academics allow for an insight in order to succeed in the competition and how you can improve your advocacy skills.